UWM has a significant number of students serving in U.S. military reserve or National Guard units who have been or may be called to active duty.

Both the University of Wisconsin System and UWM have policies in place to accommodate students who must temporarily set aside their educational pursuits when called to active duty in the military. Outlined below are the key points. Please note that these special policy provisions apply only to students subjected to involuntary Federal Title 10 activations or transfers. These provisions do not apply to routinely scheduled training, voluntary enlistments, or other military service obligations which were already known at the time the student enrolled for the term in question.

Drop/Withdrawal and Full Refund of Tuition and Fees

Students called to active duty military service after the beginning of a term or session are entitled to drop their courses and receive a full refund of tuition and fees for courses still in progress and in which they are actively enrolled at the time of the call-up. To exercise this option, students should first withdraw from classes (or drop selected classes; see below) and then provide a copy of their military activation orders to the Military Education Benefits Office located in Mellencamp Hall 168A. A copy may also be mailed to that office (Department of Financial Aid, c/o Military Education Benefits Office, P.O. Box 469, Milwaukee, WI 53201), or faxed to 414-229-5699. After appropriate review, the withdrawal and a full refund will be authorized and processed.

Please Note: Even in cases of a military call-up, students do not have the option to drop partial/mini-term classes that have already been completed, or any course for which all work has already been completed and submitted. Students who are unsure how to proceed in these cases are encouraged to consult with the Military Education Benefits Office staff.

Grading Options

Students called to active duty military service may also opt to remain enrolled in some or all of their courses. In this case, the student may either:

request an "Incomplete" for the class, with the understanding that the coursework will be completed upon return from active military duty; or

request that a final grade be assigned based upon work completed to date.

Students wishing to exercise either of these options should consult with the instructor who will, as necessary, report the "Incomplete" or other appropriate grade through the usual channels. These options may not be equally viable for all classes, depending on timing, how much work remains to be completed, whether a final exam constitutes a major portion of the grade, etc. For this reason, consultation with the instructor is strongly encouraged.

Refund of Room and Board

A student called to active duty while living in University Housing will be released from his/her housing contract and refunded the unused portion of his/her room/board. To exercise this option, students should contact Erika Stark (414-229-6587), oakfield@uwm.edu to coordinate contract cancellation.

Subsequent Readmission

Students who return from military service and are ready to re-enter should contact the appropriate admission office (in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at 414-229-2222, or the Graduate School at 414-229-6569) for further information on how to proceed. The admitting office and other administrative units will be as flexible as possible in facilitating the re-entry of students returning from active duty military service. This may involve streamlining the usual re-entry application process, waiving application deadlines, etc. Each case will depend on individual circumstances, but UWM faculty and staff are asked to be as accommodating as possible in order to assist military service veterans in returning to the university.

Please note also that there are a number of special provisions that may apply in determining Wisconsin residency for military service members and veterans. For more detailed information about this, contact the residency specialist indicated below.

For additional information about issues related to military call-ups, please contact: